Olympic women’s water polo MVP Maddie Musselman receives hero’s welcome home in Newport Beach

Maddie Musselman is a Port Streets hero who knows where she came from.

The two-time Olympic women’s water polo gold medalist returned home to Newport Beach on Monday afternoon. Dozens of family friends, children and well-wishers serenaded her as soon as the black sport-utility vehicle carrying Musselman, her dad, Jeff, mother Karen and younger sister Ella pulled onto Port Tiffin Place just after 1 p.m.

This followed a 10-hour flight from Tokyo to Los Angeles International Airport. Still, Musselman, the Olympic MVP from Corona del Mar High School who will be a redshirt senior at UCLA, stood in the street for nearly an hour signing autographs for the next generation and posing for photos with her medal.

Then she walked to the end of the street, to a bench dedicated to Harrison Phillips, which also holds meaning to the superstar athlete. The Port Streets have lost five teenagers or young adults since the first time Musselman won gold in Brazil in 2016.

Phillips, 22, who Musselman said lived on her street, died in a motorcycle accident in 2017. Patrick Turner was just 16 and a sophomore at CdM when he took his own life in 2018, the same year that Danny Giger, 21, died in a skiing accident. Matt Olson, 19, died after he was hit by cars while walking on the 110 Freeway in 2019, the same year that Jack Elliott, 19, was found dead in a Texas lake.

All five young men attended or were attending CdM, the same school as Musselman.

The deaths have added up. Musselman, just 23 herself, said she was family friends with each. She dedicated the first game of the Tokyo Olympics to the five, who she said were gone far too soon. On Monday, she gave flowers to Giger’s mother, Lisa, and Phillips’ mother, Sheree, with more deliveries to come to the other three families.

Maddie Musselman, middle, shares her gold medal with Sheree Phillips and Lisa Giger after presenting them with yellow roses.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

“The kids who passed away have all been involved in sports,” said Maddie Musselman, who brought shirts and hats honoring them to Tokyo. “I know that they would have the Olympic spirit if they were here.”

While remembering those who are gone, Musselman also celebrated with family and friends. She was one of six local players on the team, which routed Spain 14-5 in the final Saturday. Laguna Beach High sister alumni of Makenzie and Aria Fischer, Newport Harbor High alumna Kaleigh Gilchrist, Edison High product Alys Williams and CdM graduate Stephania Haralabidis also helped Team USA win gold.

Musselman gave a big hug Monday to Michelle Sperling, her first swimming coach with the Newport Hills Killer Whales swim team.

Sperling became her swim coach when Musselman was just 5 years old.

“It’s the poise that she brings when she’s at the biggest stage of the sport,” Sperling said. “She carries just so much poise and so much calmness. What an inspiration for all of these people. I can’t even tell you how much pride I have for her and her family.”

Olympic gold medalist Maddie Musselman shows off her gold medal that reflects on the face of a neighborhood youngster during her welcome home block party Monday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Marlene Dandler, who lives two houses down from the Musselmans, helped organize the celebration. Neighbor Lorie Swatsek designed the large sign that was placed in the family’s frontyard.

“She’s the MVP, basically the best water polo player in the world, right?” Swatsek said. “That’s pretty amazing. It’s not every day you get to welcome one of those home.”

Musselman never ducked inside the house until everyone was gone, which was surprising to no one. She clearly appreciated the support and love from some of her biggest fans.

Though the celebration was not a surprise to her, she said the gathering was even bigger than five years ago when she returned home from Rio de Janeiro.

“I asked my mom if I had to be mentally prepared for people to be on my street,” she said. “She was like, ‘Yeah.’ It’s always special. In the moment, you’re like, ‘I don’t look too great, I just off the plane.’ But it’s always nice to see the support, because it usually dies down after a couple of months. You have to absorb it while you can, that feeling, and for sure it’s special.”

Local neighborhood kids make signs at the Harrison Phillips memorial bench in Buffalo Hills Park as they prepare for the welcome home block party for Olympic gold medalist Maddie Musselman in Newport Beach on Monday.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

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